Thanks To Jay-Z, RIAA Gold & Platinum Awards Join The Digital Age

Crawling a little further into the digital age, the RIAA has just updated the rules for Gold and Platinum Awards. Sales of digital albums will now be eligible for certification on their release and sales dates, rather than after the 30 day waiting period for physical products. An RIAA spokesperson admitted that this week's "Magna Cata Holy Grail" release from Jay-Z and Samsung prompted the change.

"We think it's time for the RIAA ... to align our digital song and album certification requirements. That's why today we are officially updating this rule in our [Gold and Platinum] Program requirements," according to the RIAA's Liz Kennedy

In the deal, which sources put at $5 million, Samsung has purchased 1 million copies of Jay-Z’s new album, entitled “Magna Carta Holy Grail”. A million Samsung Galaxy smartphone users will receive a free copy on July 4th, 72 hours prior the official release.

Sales of all physical albums are still only eligible for certification 30 days after the release date. That rule was created because physical product was sometimes shipped to brick and mortar retailers and then returned.

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Thanks To Jay-Z, RIAA Gold & Platinum Awards Join The Digital Age

Crawling a little further into the digital age, the RIAA has just updated the rules for Gold and Platinum Awards. Sales of digital albums will now be eligible for certification on their release and sales dates, rather than after the 30 day waiting period for physical products. An RIAA spokesperson admitted that this week's "Magna Cata Holy Grail" release from Jay-Z and Samsung prompted the change.